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Working Safely with Electrical Appliances

You don’t want to be just another statistic. Whether you’re a professional or just doing some fixing around the house, you should double check on safety before going ahead, as well as during the course of the project. Too often injuries turn out to be due to accidents that were easily preventable, and you can avoid such mistakes by keeping these few matters in mind.

Disconnect the lines

Make sure mains and power sources are disconnected before you start. Even when you do, you never know when a line might by live, so always treat appliances and wiring as such. Make sure any tools you use have non-conducting handles as well. Be sure to remove any metal from your person, whether jewelry or parts of clothing. Also be careful not to use metal rulers when doing electrical work.

Safety Gear

Make sure you’ve worn insulating or nonconductive gloves, rubber soled shoes, and safety clothing to prevent any accidental injury. Don’t let any water or dampness near the electrical equipment or your person. Also make sure there are safety procedures to put out any electrical fires – you need extinguishers, not water.

Equipment

Keep all equipment unplugged and safely stored away when not in use. Anything that might be on standby should be kept visible and on safety mode if available. You should also do regular maintenance checks on all equipment and gear, and see to any replacements or repairs immediately. Notify others working with you when something malfunctions, and see that they do the same.

Supervising Others

If you’ve got others working under you, you have to maintain their safety too. If this is a big project, you’ll want to make sure that safety drills are practiced, and procedures are put in place for emergencies. Everyone involved should be aware of fire hazards and what needs to be done in case one breaks out. Keep an eye out for any rule breaking. Everyone has to wear their safety gear at all times. Visitors should also be wearing at least basic safety gear. They may not be touching any devices, but you don’t want to take risks.

One Hand

As far as possible, reduce any contact to a single hand, with the other kept a good distance from any material that can be a conductor. A sudden surge or fluctuation can easily catch you unawares and electrocute you, and this simple trick can reduce this danger.

When to Quit

You need to know when to call Electricians Sydney to do the job for you. Unless you’re a professional yourself, you won’t know about electrical regulations and procedures, incident notification, and licensing. There are important guidelines and rules to follow when it comes to electrical work, especially on large scale projects. It may be your home you’re working on, but you may be tampering with government or state property when it comes to wiring and mains.

These simple matters are worth considering before you start any project, and they should also be kept in mind as you go along. They just might save a life.